Which are you...O? A? B? AB? Rhesus +/-?

Blood Transfusions:

The scenario is this: An essentially-skilled member of your community has been seriously injured in an accident and is suffering from massive blood loss , you have a community member that can perform the necessary medical skills and has access to the basic surgical equipment that will enable that member's survival, but to perform the necessary surgery, they are desperate for blood donors to come forward to ensure sucess and their survival...

Do you know your own blood group? If not, how could you determine your bloodgroup, and that of your community members, with basic lab equipment to enable their survival in the operating theatre?

Follows is a population bloodgroup percentage...which one are you?

O Rh-positive O+ 38%

O Rh-negative O- 7%

A Rh-positive A+ 34%

A Rh-negative A- 6%

B Rh-positive B+ 9%

B Rh-negative B- 2%

AB Rh-positive AB+ 3%

AB Rh-negative AB- 1%

Source

Well I'm happy to say I'm a universal donor....0-
Great for everyone else, but lets hope their is another 0- in the group
or I'm in big trouble.

Type O Rh+ myself...

Have thought about having a medical-tattoo to indicate such, having been in the situation to require a transfusion...where would be the best place on the body to have it placed though?

AB Positive. I can survive with any blood type if I need it.

Ama

Originally posted by citizen smith
Type O Rh+ myself...

Have thought about having a medical-tattoo to indicate such, having been in the situation to require a transfusion...where would be the best place on the body to have it placed though?

Its not a bad idea esp if you are in a trauma etc. and need a transfusion stat. However, the government wold have to do so in an official manner (You could not transfuse based on a random tatoo) or a chip. Mention those two and we will get a huge discussion on mind controll etc.

Lacking the ability to type people in your party to give transfusion is the tip of the berg IMHO.

You also need vascular access for both the patient getting the blood and the donor.

You will be giving whole blood which has pluses and minuses (When you are given blood in the hospital it is usually packed red blood cells (PRBC's). THe PRBC's are separated from plasma. The platelets are also separated, as can the white blood cells. After that the plasma can give you the essentail clotting factors needed to maintain homeostasis (Fancy term for keeping everything in balance) This way many can benifit from a single donation. The disadvantage is that you are far more likely to have an allergic reaction to whole blood than to one of its components. Reactions can be fatal. THe advantage is its one stop shopping. The patient gets the PRBC's the white cells, the platelets, the clotting factors in the plasma and also gets more intravascular volume (More fluid in the blood vessels) that helps with blood pressure, organ perfusion etc.

You need emergency medication to deal with a transfusion reaction in the event you get the wrong blood typing. Sometimes even with the correct type you would still get a reaction because of a buildup of antibodies. Some of our oncology kids have a 4-5 hour wait to get thier blood type read because they have so many of these antibodies.

I am a O negative - Universal Donor.

It only takes a small percentage of the wrong blood type for people to have a reaction with possible fatal consequences.

I know of a lot of military personnel (British) that have their blood group tattoed onto their left upper arm.

I am a universal donor - however I can only accept from another universal donor.

I'm b negative.. and my son is as well.. he has a very low normal body temperature..

The above scenario you are suggesting would be virtually impossible to achieve in a 'survival' situation.

First of all, blood donors are screened - their blood donation is taken and the blood screened for 'nasties' and the blood type is also determined.

Secondly, the patient will need to be cross matched for the correct blood type.

Thirdly, you will need the equipment to perform a blood transfusion and someone with the medical know how to perform one - Cannulation and setting up. Plus the monitoring equipment and know how whilst transfusing.

Fourthly, you will then need a chilled bag of the correct donated blood type for the correct blood typed patient.

You cannot just transfuse someone's blood willy nilly as you could quite possibly be putting them in a more dire situation that they already were.

I have performed this procedure on numerous occasions and you would not beleive what procedures you have to go through to make sure everything is going okay. I have only experienced on 2 occasions whereby the patient has 'rejected' the blood transfusion and i can tell you, its pretty scary. Patients that reject blood transfusions can go 'downhill' damm fast. Luckily both survived. This was all within the calm organised setting of a hospital ........

B+ here; A philosophy as well as a blood type

reply to post by Wotan


Sure you can, haven't you seen Wes Craven's Dracula. Good scene of a blood transfusion! LOL.

O- here.

A blood transfusion would definitely be a risky affair in a survival situation. I wouldn't even consider it unless it was truly a 100% life or death situation, and I knew what I was doing.

The most important thing to do is stem all blood flow first. There's no point pumping more blood into someone if it's just going to leak out right back out. This is where knowing basic first aid is crucial. Learn the ABC's of emergency care, then move on to more advanced procedures under the guidance of a trained proffesional.

As for location, why not a medic alert bracelet on your wrist or worn as a necklace? Most people with medical training (EMTs, nurses, doctors) will look in these places first.

I'm O- and a universal donor by the way.



[edit on 5/29/08 by LLoyd45]

reply to post by citizen smith

I have never seen so many O- outside of my husband's family reunions.

I am one of the common as crab grass A+.

Hi...was just browsing this thread...as,my blood changed 6 months ago!
Used to be O+
now I'm O+ anti c & anti e
This changed in the later stages of pregnancy....
my sons cord blood was crossing into mine...which caused anti bodies
my son is O+
Don't fully understand it...but told it would make it hard to have anymore children.
Also told, if planning any surgery,would be good idea to store my own blood...but can still receive O+ blood in a medical emergancy.

Originally posted by citizen smith
Blood Transfusions:

The scenario is this: An essentially-skilled member of your community has been seriously injured in an accident and is suffering from massive blood loss , you have a community member that can perform the necessary medical skills and has access to the basic surgical equipment that will enable that member's survival, but to perform the necessary surgery, they are desperate for blood donors to come forward to ensure sucess and their survival...

Do you know your own blood group? If not, how could you determine your bloodgroup, and that of your community members, with basic lab equipment to enable their survival in the operating theatre?

Follows is a population bloodgroup percentage...which one are you?

O Rh-positive O+ 38%

O Rh-negative O- 7%

A Rh-positive A+ 34%

A Rh-negative A- 6%

B Rh-positive B+ 9%

B Rh-negative B- 2%

AB Rh-positive AB+ 3%

AB Rh-negative AB- 1%

Source

I wonder if this little list will be of service to you if you are needing to plan on transfusions
0+ can receive ( 0+ and 0- ) and can give to 0+ A+B+ AB+
0- can receive ( 0-) and can give to all blood types
A+ can receive ( A+ A- 0+ 0- ) and can give to A+ AB+
A- can receive ( A- and 0- ) and can give to A+ A- AB+ AB-
B+ can receive ( B+ B- 0+0-) and can give to B+ AB+
B- can receive ( B- and 0-) and can give to B+B-AB+ AB-
AB+ can receive all blood types, universal recipient and can give to AB+
AB- can receive ( AB-A-B-0-) and can give to AB+ AB-
Caveat Emtptor and any other caveats apply.

Originally posted by cw034
Well I'm happy to say I'm a universal donor....0-
Great for everyone else, but lets hope their is another 0- in the group
or I'm in big trouble.

No worries. I am also O with RH Negative, so you have blood.

AB Rh-negative here

reply to post by citizen smith


I am A- and it caused me some real problems
during my two pregnancies.I had one and lost
the other.

B pos. here. Glad to see there are a few of us : ). I don't find many B pos or neg people around.

In searching for answers to the OP's question I am surprised to find a home test kit that runs about $12 that will show you your blood group and whether you are pos or neg.

Just search the phrase "home blood group test".